Month: February 2018

Some may not think that architecture and public health go hand-in-hand. However, Robert Ivy, CEO of the American Institute of Architects since 2011, disagrees. Ivy, who received his Bachelor’s Degree in English from Sewanee: The University of the South and his Master’s Degree in Architecture from Tulane University gives a few insights as to how architecture is helping the public health sector promote a healthier lifestyle for the general population.

Ivy claims that architecture and good health are more closely related than may be thought. By designing buildings and parks certain ways, for example, they can promote more walking. For a park, in particular, by making the area attractive, they can bolster interest in traveling to that park and exercise further in its various forms. For a building, designing it in a way that requires people to walk upstairs. In schools, creating rooms with lots of sunlight to help students focus on the lesson. By understanding what contributes to obesity and poor health, designers can create buildings to promote healthy exercises.

However, he also places an emphasis on education. After all, one cannot hope to make much of a difference in anything if one doesn’t understand the components. As such, he notes that certain colleges are already requiring architect and design students to take courses in health. One college, in particular, the College of Architecture at Texas Tech University, is offering a new Master’s degree of science in architecture that has a specialization in design and health. On the other side of the spectrum, Dr. Bon Ku of Thomas Jefferson University is teaching his medical students with a design-thinking method. With this education, the two fields can work effectively together to promote exercise and healthier living, improving the health and lives of those using the facilities.

Among his accolades, Robert Ivy received the Crain Award, which is the highest recognition a person can receive from the American Business Media. Alpha Rho Chi, an architectural fraternity, named him a Master Architect in 2010. Not to mention, besides all of that, while he was the editor of Record, the architectural journal was among the most circulated of its kind in the world.

Switzerland is a leading country in the world in terms of technological advancements. The tech industry in the country is fully developed with numerous fields of technology benefiting from the growth. Demand for better technologically advanced products by the people have led to tremendous growth of the Swiss tech industry. There are also numerous benefits that have come up from the current demand in the tech industry. Thousands of jobs have been created for the highly skilled experts in the country. The economy has also benefited from the growth as it now other global economies.

The question that many have been asking is, why is the tech industry in Switzerland so developed? The tech companies in the country have embraced technological innovations in a big way as other countries in the world struggle to catch up. Although many economic experts have tried to analyze this situation, there are is an important point that is missed. Most experts talk about governance, culture, subsidies among others. However, the point here is, there is a key element of this growth that these experts fail to note. The tech industry in the country has been aggressive because tech startups in Switzerland are very many. At the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, there are over 400 high tech startup companies. This is in one department. Overall, thousands of startups have been started all over the country.

Startup companies must be disruptive for them to succeed. Tech industry is full of big corporations that are already making huge profits every year. It means that it’s hard for the startup companies to compete on the same platform. Startups must offer something that the large corporation does not. This disruption mostly is in the form of innovations or ideas to serve consumers better than the big corporations. Startups have the advantage of looking into all the areas that big corporations do not deliver and fill the gap. Once consumers are convinced that the startups offer valuable services, the startups will enjoy profits that will enable them to grow.

About Mike Baur

Mike Baur is a mentor of startups businesses in Switzerland. He is the co-founder of Swiss Startups Factory that deals with training digital entrepreneurs on the way to develop a startup company to a fully developed business that generates revenue.

Mike Baur has gone from having critics scratch their head as to why he would go into an investment arena that has so many unknowns in it, to having the Swiss business community talking about how effective his company the Swiss Startup Factory has been. Baur understood when he founded this company that a lot of great ideas existed out there, but they needed the help of some experienced executives to become reliable companies. The SSUF has proven that startups don’t need years to be established and get to peak level, and Baur believes that there are three ways startups can not only reach execution level but become sustainable companies that won’t fail after just a few years.

The first thing startup founders should know according to Mike Baur, is that they cannot wait for things to happen to get their business to operational stage. It all starts with getting your product or service to materialize and knowing which capital source you’re going to tap into, and following through on your plans to launch. The second thing your business needs to grow is the ability to adapt to any changes that come. Disruptive companies have already changed the traditional business landscape as it is, and in today’s world the ability to adapt is even more important. The final thing that’s needed to build a long lasting company is knowing your risks and being willing to take them because there really are no safety nets for failure.

Mike Baur’s journey to his startup accelerator began when he was only 16 and entered the intern program at UBS Bank. He was told that he could expect several promotions and become a big manager if he followed a written chart handed to him by a human resources manager. Baur did have a successful career earning promotions and finding high-return investments for clients, but his passion for the job declined in the years following the recession of 2008. This is because the recession brought a lot of new rules and Baur’s job became even more of a grind for him. In 2014, Baur brought his first startup investment program to reality in Think Reloaded, and shortly after with the help of the Goldback Group and Helvetia the SSUF took root. The SSUF is reliable because it has several activities including perfecting investor pitches and branding capabilities that ensure investors are only funding companies that will give them returns.

Jeunesse is an international company that uses a direct selling business model. The company focuses on healthy lifestyles, anti-aging solutions, and nutritional supplements. Growth was rapid, after their launch in 2009. They offer support and training to their independent entrepreneurial business partners and give back to communities around the world with their Jeunesse Kids. Jeunesse Kids is a non-profit organization that helps children globally.

The secret to their success is the products. The Luminesce skin care regimen is a complete system. It includes a wash, skin lightener, repairing serum, and a hydrating masque. Incorporated in the Luminesce products is Jeunesse proprietary ingredient APT-200. This antioxidant helps the skin repair and restores itself.

The Luminesce cleanser exfoliates and sloths off dead skin cells revealing a fresh glowing face. It does this with a combination of APT-200, alpha and beta hydroxy acids. It is a balanced wash. It will not leave the skin feeling stripped, dry, or tight.

In the morning after washing with the cleanser, the daily moisturizing complex is the next step in the system. This moisturizer contains the regenerative APT-200 also and a full-spectrum sunscreen. A full-spectrum sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB rays, and the strength is 30 SPF.

Some areas of the face that have developed small wrinkles and lines will benefit from the rejuvenation serum. Dermatologist developed this serum to help restore glow and resilience when applied to the face and neck.

A vibrant appearance starts from the inside, and Jeunesse understands that. AM and PM Essentials is a conveniently packaged morning and evening vitamin pairing. The AM Essential contains cayenne pepper fruit, a proprietary mixture of Ginkgo Bilbao, and Klamath blue-green algae. It also contains traditional vitamins and mineral. The evening supplement prepares the body for rest and relaxation. It contains Valerian root, grape skin extract, and Royal jelly, along with other vitamins and minerals.

With the help of their entrepreneur’s commitment, Jeunesse Global is making it possible for simple routines to produce beautiful skin. The company looks forward to growth with new partners and new products.

Igor Cornelsen has made a path to better investing for anyone that cares to listen. He is the former Brazilian Banker turned investment guru that has retired and moved back to the United States. During his time as an investment banker people could see that Igor Cornelsen was growing his knowledge of investing in Brazil. Latin America would become a place where he would become familiar with the concept of investing money that could easily grow when he capitalized on certain tips that he developed.

One of the first things that Igor Cornelsen realized was that there was going to be a need to embrace the possibility of the regulations that can come with investing. A new company can form in an instant, and regulations can fall in place that can make it close to impossible for investors to capitalize on what this new company is doing. Check ireport.cnn about Igor Cornelsen

This is just part of the game that is played when it comes to foreign investments. People must learn to be patient and wait as they hear the outcome of the rules that are put in place for certain business practices. It is not anything new, but new investors may freak out when they discover that there are things that may be putting some of their investments on hold. Instead of freaking out investors should simply know that this is part of the territory that comes with investments outside of their comfort zone. When people are embracing the concept of diversification for investments they must prepare for this in advance.

Another thing that a smart investor must employ is the knowledge of the currency rates and the limitations that this can bring. No one can start investing in industries outside of what they are used to and not expect there to be some differences in the currency rates.

Knowledgeable investors that want to diversify must realize that they have a stronger position when they know exactly how the currency rate will affect their investments.

Lastly, people that invest in Latin America must know what the natives of Latin America are doing with their money.